Why Ben Simmons will clear over/under projection for triple-doubles

Why Ben Simmons will clear over/under projection for triple-doubles

Ben Simmons hit the ground running during his first season in the NBA, finishing third among all players with 12 triple-doubles in 81 games. The Philadelphia 76ers star ranked behind only Russell Westbrook (25) and LeBron James (18) in the category, as Land of Basketball detailed.

But entering the 2018-19 NBA season, oddsmakers believe Simmons will bump that number up a bit. BetDSI recently revealed a wide range of prop bets for players and set the over/under on projected triple-doubles for the reigning Rookie of the Year at 14.5.

The number isn’t drastically above what he totaled last year, and based on how his first NBA season went, there’s reason to believe he’ll clear the over.

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Projecting if Ben Simmons will go over 14.5 triple-doubles

When removing the games in which Simmons accomplished the feat, we’re left with 69 games to look at it. Of those 69 games, the 22-year-old finished within four points, two rebounds or two assists of a triple-double in 18 of them.

The Sixers guard also had a total of 38 triple-doubles, tied with teammate Joel Embiid and two other players for the No. 11 spot among all NBA players.

Envisioning a situation where Simmons manages to tack on two more baskets or an extra rebound/assist in 3-4 of those 18 games seems realistic. Tack on the fact that he’ll only be more confident entering his second season and now has a full year playing alongside Embiid under his belt, and big things are on the horizon for Simmons.